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GEO: 5 Questions About the Transformation of SEO
The astonishing rise of AI and its transition into a search tool means SEO had given way to a new practice called GEO - Generative Engine Optimization. There is a lot of chatter about the topic. As search habits and research emerging, the landscape is rapidly changing. This presentation reviews some of the most common questions and gives some insight into GEO monitoring and execution. The 5 common questions that are covered include: What is GEO—and how is it different from SEO? What content formats and structures help AI pick up? How do we influence retrieval without “gaming” it? How do we measure success in GEO? Who should owns GEO—and what process do we need?
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GEO: 5 Questions About the Transformation of SEO
- 1. G E NE R A T I V E E N G I N E OPTIMIZATION GEO: 5 Questions You Need Answered
- 2. Private & Confidential INTRODUCTION •Experience ranges from User Experience, Content Strategy, SEO/GEO, email marketing, web solutions and online strategy • Background in journalism and web programming • Clients across B2B, CPG & B2C industries including Worldcom Group, Sherwin-Williams, Moen, GE, Vitamix, Sallie Mae, Tenet Health, and US Internal Revenue
- 3. What We’ll Cover Whatis GEO—and how is it different from SEO? How do we measure success in GEO? What content formats and structures help AI pick up content? How do we influence AI results without “gaming” it? Who should own GEO —and what process do we need?
- 4. What is GEO—andhow is it different from SEO? Search has been evolving for decades and has begun to further integrate not only AI driven algorithms, but also AI driven interfaces directly exposing AI features.
- 5. SEO EVOLUTION OF SEARCH GEO Objective: Toincrease a website’s visibility and user traffic by aligning content with what search engines deem valuable. SGE Objective: To make search more efficient and user-friendly by leveraging LLM and AI to understand and anticipate user needs better. Objective: To ensure content is discovered, accurately interpreted and included in citations by AI search engines. Search Generative Experience
- 6. EVOLUTION OF SEARCH WhyGEO IS Important! ChatGPT is the #6 website in the World 5.85 billion visits / month • ask questions • doing research • writing content • creating code
- 7. USERS HAVE MADETHE SWITCH 50% of traditional traffic will shift to AI by 2028.
- 8. USERS HAVE MADETHE SWITCH 6 m 45s average visit duration for the ChatGPT Google.com – 10s Gemini – 6 m 5s
- 9. USERS HAVE MADETHE SWITCH 60% of searches now end without clicking
- 10. WHERE ARE THEYSEARCHING?
- 11. WHAT ARE THEYSEARCHING FOR?
- 12. AEO? HOW GEO ISTRANSFORMING AI-POWERED SEARCH AND SEARCH RESULTS Changing User Behavior Instead of content links they want to get quick, summarized, precise, and smart answers. Zero-Click Results: AI search will automatically reduce the clicks if your content is not accurately designed to appear in GEO. Hence, if you’re not cited or sourced in an AI response, you will not be seen.
- 13. AEO? HOW GEO ISTRANSFORMING AI-POWERED SEARCH AND SEARCH RESULTS
- 14. AEO? HOW GEO ISTRANSFORMING AI-POWERED SEARCH AND SEARCH RESULTS Data-Driven Authority: AI prioritizes fact-rich, well-structured, and credible content. Brand Authority Without Linking: It also gives ‘brand’ authority without linking.
- 15. SEO IS THEFOUNDATION OF GEO Technical SEO Reliable Site Structure and Indexing Authority Citations, Digital PR, Trust and Reputation Signals Content Relevant Pages and Intent Focused Copy Expertise GEO uses broader clusters in results and not single page signals.
- 16. TWO COMPETING REALITIES TraditionalSearch SERP Pages Rankings = Visibility Inbound Linked build Authority Top 3 = Powerful Impressions, Clicks & CTR are KPIs Visibility to Queries Powered by Paid Search AI-Powered Search Direct Responses Composed Citations Determines Visibility Brand Recognition in Without Links Mentions = Mindshare New Attribution Model Emerging Lack of Visibility to Queries Monetization to be Determined
- 17. AI PRODUCT LANDSCAPE ChatGPTGemini Claude Copilot Perplexity 5,846,000,000 723,000,000 148,200,000 148,400,000 95,000,000
- 18. AEO? EVOLUTION OF SEARCH AnswerEngine Optimization Optimize to surface direct answers (featured snippets, assistants).
- 19. How do weinfluence AI results without “gaming” it?
- 20. Stay Transparent andEthical Influencing AI ethically means creating a sustainable conversation by: •Avoiding hidden manipulations (e.g., embedding misleading data). •Being open when outputs are AI-assisted. •Ensuring the influence aligns with truth, safety, and fairness. ETHICS
- 21.
- 22. PROVIDE QUALITY SIGNALS AccuracyReadability Engagement Recency
- 23. Clear Authorship: •Named Experts •Bios& Credentials Citations & References: •Linking to authoritative sources (journals, government sites, trusted industry bodies). Domain Reputation: •Established Domains •Consistent Publishing •High-quality Backlinks ACCURACY
- 24. Sentence & ParagraphStructure •Aim for shorter sentences (15–20 words on average). •Keep paragraphs 2–4 sentences long— long blocks are harder for AI (and people) to chunk. •Prefer active voice over passive. READABILITY
- 25. Headings & Hierarchy •Useclear, descriptive H1–H3 headers— each section should answer a distinct question. •Frame some headers as questions (e.g., “What is Generative Engine Optimization?”). AI engines lift these directly into Q&A responses. •Maintain a logical flow (intro → detail → examples → conclusion). READABILITY
- 26. Formatting for Scannability •Usebullet points, numbered lists, and tables—AI can extract structured facts more easily. •Highlight key terms in bold or italics to flag importance. •Break complex concepts into step-by-step explanations READABILITY
- 27. Quick Answers &Utility • FAQs (schema-friendly) • How-To Guides with Step-By-Step instructions • Checklists & Cheat-Sheets (Downloadable or Inline) • Comparison Tables (Products, Features, Pricing) ENGAGEMENT – ON AI TOOLS
- 28. Deeper Understanding • Explainerblogs with Diagrams, Videos or Visuals. •Case Studies showing Real-World Application, Facts, Data •Expert Data, Q&As or Interviews •Long-form Guides with Table of Contents ENGAGEMENT – ON WEBSITE
- 29. KEEP IT FRESH! AIEngines reward ‘fresh’ content. KEEPING IT FRESH
- 30. Reference Data andSources
- 31. SITES AI ISCITING Social Websites
- 32. CONTROL REFERENCE DATA WIKIPEDIA •Create company page if notable • Update outdated information • Include credible citations INDUSTRY DIRECTORIES • Professional Associations • Chamber of Commerce • ISO / Certifying Bodies • Partner Directories LOCAL BUSINESS TOOLS • Google My Business • Bing Places • Apple Business Connect • Yelp
- 33. CONTROL REFERENCE DATA BRANDMENTIONS • Track Mentions • Determine Site Authority • Sentiment Analysis • Clean up Brand References
- 34. REINFORCING YOUR BRAND CONSISTENCY= BRAND RECOGNITION AI Ranks Third-Party References 3x Higher compared to Brand Websites. Update External Sources: • Brand Name • Positioning • Linking References 40% Visibility Increase
- 35.
- 36. HOW QUERIES ARECHANGING Average Number of Words in a Query Example 2020: CRM Software 2025: What’s the best CRM Software for a B2B SaaS startup with 20 employees under $100/month that integrates with Slack and had a mobile app (25)
- 37. IT’S MORE THANJUST ONE QUESTION Query Fan-Out One Question involves Multiple Queries CRM SOFTWARE CRM v. Spreadsheets HubSpot v. Pipedrive v. Salesforce Small Business CRM CRM Reviews CRM Best of Listicles 15+ Additional Queries
- 38. IT’S MORE THANJUST ONE QUESTION Query Fan-Out Take Note of Suggestions and Connected Content
- 39. IT’S MORE THANJUST ONE QUESTION Query Fan-Out Take Note of Suggestions and Connected Content
- 40. IT’S MORE THANJUST ONE QUESTION Query Fan-Out Take Note of Suggestions and Connected Content
- 41. CREATING TARGETED CONTENTCLUSTER HOW DO YOU TRANSITION FROM KEYWORD FOCUS TO TOPIC FOCUS?
- 42. WHERE DOES TRADITIONALAND AI SEARCH OVERLAP
- 43. TOP RANKING AREA BETTER INDICATOR
- 44. DO WHAT THEAI ENGINES DO Research shows that AI generated content often performs well. Look at the structure of AI generate content for hints. WATCH WHAT AI PRODUCES
- 45. WHAT IS THEENGINE THINKING . . .
- 46. WHAT IS THEENGINE THINKING . . .
- 47. USING KEYWORD RESEARCHTOOLS Use these questions in AI tools to find the related questions or the topics that are returned for these answers.
- 48. AI Estimate =Google Keyword Volumes x 0.15 •Example: CRM System: Avg Vol. = 14,800 AI Prompts = 2,200 ESTIMATING AI SEARCH TRAFFIC •Topic Example: Variations Total: Avg Vol. = 177,700 AI Prompts = 26,655
- 49.
- 50. What content formatsand structures help AI pick up content?
- 51. AI Platforms UseDifferent Indices WHERE DO THEY GET CONTENT? Brave’s Google Index Own Index MS 360 Own Index PLUS: Also uses Google Own Index + X
- 52. • JAVASCRIPT ISTHE SILENT ENEMY SHORTCOMING OF SOME AI ENGINES • CANNOT INTERPRET AUDIO* • CANNOT CRAWL VIDEO* • PDFS . . . THE STRUGGLE IS REAL * Gemini has the capability due to Google and YouTube
- 53. • CREATE WEBPAGES FOR YOUR VIDEOS / PODCAST DEALING WITH AI SHORTCOMINGS • PROVIDE FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPTS FOR AUDIO AND VIDEO • MAKE YOUR BRAND / WEBSITE THE OWNER OF THE TRANSCRIPT CONTENT • MARKUP VIDEO WITH SCHEMA TO PROVIDE DATA • LINK TO RELEVANT CONTENT ON YOUR SITE
- 54. WHY YOU NEEDTO EMBRACE SCHEMA
- 55. FEEDING DATA INTOTHE MACHINE WEBSITE CONTENT SCHEMA DATA
- 56. • Organization • NewsArticle(Press Release) • Article (Web Content) • Video • Recipes • Reviews IMPORTANT MARKUPS TO UNDERSTAND Schema.org
- 57. • Schema Markupis snippets of code to help your content to be understood explicitly by search and AI engines. • Using structured data helps to ensure your content is understood. 57 WHAT IS SCHEMA MARKUP
- 58.
- 59.
- 60. How do wemeasure success in GEO?
- 61.
- 62.
- 63.
- 64. SEEING AI BEHAVIOR USEAI domains: ^.*.ai/.*|.*.openai.*|.*copilot.*|.*chatgpt.*|.*gemini.*|.*perplexity.*$
- 65.
- 66. SEEING AI BEHAVIOR USEAI domains: ^.*.ai/.*|.*.openai.*|.*copilot.*|.*chatgpt.*|.*gemini.*|.*perplexity.*$
- 67. CALCULATING AI BRANDMENTIONS What it Measures Every time AI mentions a brand name in an answer Why it Matters • More mentions = more visibility • Presences has replaced position • Users see a brand name repeated across queries on a topic Calculating Citation Rate Your Website Pages Cited / Total Pages Cited x 100
- 68. WEEKLY AI MENTIONTRACKING SYSTEM PICK 20 PROMPTS Select 20 various prompts for testing TEST ON 3 AI PLATFORMS Evaluate responses from those platforms based on audience USE INCOGNITO MODE Since AI tools can build responses based on past behavior, use Incognito mode and do not be logged in DOCUMENT FINDINGS Record responses in a spreadsheet and keep track of weekly citation sources.
- 69. TURN PROMPTS INTOCHATGPT TASK
- 70. Who should ownGEO —and what process do we need?
- 71. GEO DISCIPLINES OFF-PAGE AUTHORITY Buildauthority through external site mentions and links. ON-PAGE AUTHORITY Develop content to support AI queries and query fan out. TECHNICAL Work with the development team to ensure all owned content can be found and crawled. Implement and manage schema setups for website content. • Schema: Organization, Product, Person, Article, FAQPage, HowTo • Clean sitemaps, Canonical URLs, Internal Linking Clusters • Accessible PDFs with metadata
- 72. GEO TEAM Web DeveloperContent Strategy / Writer Media Relations including Social Analyst for Reports, Keywords and GEO Tracking
- 73.
Editor's Notes
- #6 According to SimilarWeb ChatGPT is the 6th most popular site in the world. Up from 28th in April 2024. It generates 5.7 billion visitors a month and people are using it to ask questions or even perform tasks as basic as writing content or as advanced as creating code.
- #7 Writesonic AI Presentation
- #8 Writesonic AI Presentation
- #9 Writesonic AI Presentation
- #10 https://www.frac.tl/ai-vs-seo-how-generative-search-is-reshaping-discovery-content-strategy-and-consumer-trust-in-2025/ Siri launched in 2010
- #11 https://searchengineland.com/survey-shoppers-ai-search-product-discovery-440750
- #12 How is GEO Transforming AI-Powered Search Results? The GEO search is not only about how digital algorithms are rapidly transforming, but also about how they are impacting user behavior and helping brands with better reach. Let’s explore- Changing User Behavior: People no longer want to sift through 10 blue links. They want quick, summarized, precise, and smart answers. With the right GEO practices, AI positions your content among the AI-powered search results, enhancing your search volume, website clicks, and content credibility. Zero-Click Results: AI search will automatically reduce the clicks if your content is not accurately designed to appear in GEO. Hence, if you’re not cited or sourced in an AI response, you will not be seen. Voice and Chat Interfaces: As chatbots, voice assistants, and AI agents become default search modes, structured, AI-readable content becomes essential. Data-Driven Authority: A content full of keywords, which lacks user intent, has zero no for GEO. AI prioritizes fact-rich, well-structured, and credible content. Where AI-powered search helps users discover accurate results, it is essential to ensure you have a competitive edge in digital marketing. Your appearance in the AI-powered search results directly impacts how customers perceive your brand and how long it sustains in the top appearances. Let’s work on making your content optimized to support GEO.
- #13 How is GEO Transforming AI-Powered Search Results? The GEO search is not only about how digital algorithms are rapidly transforming, but also about how they are impacting user behavior and helping brands with better reach. Let’s explore- Changing User Behavior: People no longer want to sift through 10 blue links. They want quick, summarized, precise, and smart answers. With the right GEO practices, AI positions your content among the AI-powered search results, enhancing your search volume, website clicks, and content credibility. Zero-Click Results: AI search will automatically reduce the clicks if your content is not accurately designed to appear in GEO. Hence, if you’re not cited or sourced in an AI response, you will not be seen. Voice and Chat Interfaces: As chatbots, voice assistants, and AI agents become default search modes, structured, AI-readable content becomes essential. Data-Driven Authority: A content full of keywords, which lacks user intent, has zero no for GEO. AI prioritizes fact-rich, well-structured, and credible content. Where AI-powered search helps users discover accurate results, it is essential to ensure you have a competitive edge in digital marketing. Your appearance in the AI-powered search results directly impacts how customers perceive your brand and how long it sustains in the top appearances. Let’s work on making your content optimized to support GEO.
- #14 How is GEO Transforming AI-Powered Search Results? The GEO search is not only about how digital algorithms are rapidly transforming, but also about how they are impacting user behavior and helping brands with better reach. Let’s explore- Changing User Behavior: People no longer want to sift through 10 blue links. They want quick, summarized, precise, and smart answers. With the right GEO practices, AI positions your content among the AI-powered search results, enhancing your search volume, website clicks, and content credibility. Zero-Click Results: AI search will automatically reduce the clicks if your content is not accurately designed to appear in GEO. Hence, if you’re not cited or sourced in an AI response, you will not be seen. Voice and Chat Interfaces: As chatbots, voice assistants, and AI agents become default search modes, structured, AI-readable content becomes essential. Data-Driven Authority: A content full of keywords, which lacks user intent, has zero no for GEO. AI prioritizes fact-rich, well-structured, and credible content. Where AI-powered search helps users discover accurate results, it is essential to ensure you have a competitive edge in digital marketing. Your appearance in the AI-powered search results directly impacts how customers perceive your brand and how long it sustains in the top appearances. Let’s work on making your content optimized to support GEO.
- #17 Similar Web – monthly visits ChatGPT 5,846,000,000 Gemini 723,000,000 Perplexity 148,200,000 Claude 148,400,000 CoPilot 95,000,000
- #32 American Bureau of Shipping
- #34 Writesonic case study
- #36 Microsoft AI Powered Search report
- #42 https://www.semrush.com/blog/ai-mode-comparison-study/
- #43 https://www.semrush.com/blog/ai-mode-comparison-study/
- #51 Writesonic
- #52 So I wondered if AI engines were indexing the audio. I asked that question to ChatGPT, Gemini, CoPilot, Claude and Perplexity. Of those AI engines, ONLY Google was able to crawl audio files. Google was the standout because it has has its own speech-to-text (STT) technology called Google Cloud Speech-to-Text. It is an AI service that was designed to convert audio into text transcriptions. It is also something you can see at work in YouTube. All of the other AI Engines were NOT able to crawl audio files. Specifically, ChatGPT said:
- #53 So I wondered if AI engines were indexing the audio. I asked that question to ChatGPT, Gemini, CoPilot, Claude and Perplexity. Of those AI engines, ONLY Google was able to crawl audio files. Google was the standout because it has has its own speech-to-text (STT) technology called Google Cloud Speech-to-Text. It is an AI service that was designed to convert audio into text transcriptions. It is also something you can see at work in YouTube. All of the other AI Engines were NOT able to crawl audio files. Specifically, ChatGPT said:
- #55 Microsoft AI Powered Search report